it was Crab; and goes me to the fellow that whips the dogs Friend, quoth I, you mean to whip the dog? Ay, marry, do I, quoth he. You do him the more wrong, quoth I; 'twas I did the thing you wot of. He makes me no more ado, but whips me out of the chamber. How many masters would do this for their servant? Nay, I'll be sworn, I have sat in the stocks for puddings he hath stolen, otherwise he had been executed : I have stood on the pillory for geese he hath killed, otherwise he had suffered for't thou think'st not of this now!-Nay, I remember the trick you served me, when I took my leave of madam Silvia; did not I bid thee still mark me, and do as I do? When didst thou see me heave up my leg, and make water against a gentlewoman's farthingale ? didst thou ever see me do such a trick? Enter PROTEUS and JULIA. Pro. Sebastian is thy name? I like thee well, And will employ thee in some service presently. Jul. In what you please ;I will do what I can. Pro. I hope, thou wilt.-How now, you whoreson peasant ? [TO LAUNCE Where have you been these two days loitering? Laun. Marry, sir, I carried mistress Silvia the dog you bade me. Pro. And what says she to my little jewel? Laun. Marry, she says, your dog was a cur; and telle you, currish thanks is good enough for such a present. Pro. But she received my dog? Laun. No, indeed, she did not here have I brought him back again. Pro. What, didst thou offer her this from me? Laun. Ay, sir; the other squirrel was stolen from me by the hangman's boys in the market-place and then ! offered her mine own; who is a dog as big as ten of yours, and therefore the gift the greater. Pro. Go, get thee hence, and find my dog again, Or ne'er return again into my sight. Away, I say: Stay'st thou to vex me here? A slave, that, still an end, turns me to shame. [Ex. Laun, Sebastian, I have entertained thee, Partly, that I have need of such a youth, That can with some discretion do my business, But, chiefly, for thy face, and thy behaviour; She lov'd me well, deliver'd it to me. Jul. It seems, you lov'd her not, to leave her token: She's dead, belike. Pro. Not so; I think, she lives. Jul. Alas! Pro. Why dost thou cry, alas? Jul. I cannot choose but pity her. Pro. Wherefore should'st thou pity her? Jul. Because, methinks, that she lov'd you as well As you do love your lady Silvia : She dreams on him that has forgot her love; Pro. Well, give her that ring, and therewithal [Ex. PRO, Jul. How many women would do such a message? This ring I gave him, when he parted from me, And now am I (unhappy messenger) To plead for that, which I would not obtain ; To carry that which I would have refus'd; To praise his faith, which I would have disprais'd. But cannot be true servant to my master, As, heaven, it knows, I would not have him speed. Enter SILVIA attended. Gentlewoman, good day! I pray you, be my mean Jul. From my master, sir Proteus, madam. Jul. Ay, madam. Sil. Ursula, bring my picture there. [Picture brought. Sil. I pray thee, let me look on that again. I will not look upon your master's lines: I know, they are stuff'd with protestations, And full of new-found oaths; which he will break, As easily as I do tear his paper. Jul. Madam, he sends your ladyship this ring. His Julia gave it him at his departure: Though his false finger hath profan'd the ring, Mine shall not do his Julia so much wrong. Jul. She thanks you. Sil. What say'st thou ? Jul. I thank you, madam, that you tender her: Poor gentlewoman! my master wrongs her much. Jul. Almost as well as I do know myself: That I have wept an hundred several times. Sil. Belike, she thinks that Proteus hath forsook her. Jul. I think she doth, and that's her cause of sorrow. Sil. Is she not passing fair? Jul. She hath been fairer, madam, than she is: When she did think my master lov'd her well, Sil. How tall was she? 6 Jul. About my stature for, at Pentecost, [6] The colour of a part pinched, is livid, as it is commonly called, black and blue. The weather may therefore be justly said to pinch when it produces the same visible effect. I believe this is the reason why the cold is said to pinch. JOHNSON. [7] The history of this twice-deserted lady is too well known to need an introduction here; nor is the reader interrupted on the business of Shakespeare: but I find it difficult to refrain from making a note the vehicle for a conjecture like this, which I may have no better opportunity of communicating to the public.-The subject of a picture of Guido (commonly supposed to be Ariadne deserted by Theseus and courted by Bacchus) may possibly have been hitherto mistaken ever will examine the fabulous history critically, as well as the performance itself, will acquiesce in the truth of the remark. Ovid, in his Fasti, tells us, that Bacchus (who left Ariadne to go on his Indian expedition) found too many charms in the daughter of one of the kings of that country. "Interea Liber depexos crinibus Indos "Inter captivas facie præstante puellas "Grata nimis Baccho filia regis erat. "Flebat amans conjux, spatiataque littore curvo "Edidit incultis talia verba sonis. "Quid me desertis perituram, Liber, arenis "Servabas? potui dedoluisse semel "Ausus es ante oculos, adducta pellice, nostros Ovid, Fast. 1. iii. v. 465. Who In this picture he appears as if just returned from India, bringing with him his new favourite, who hangs on his arm, and whose presence only causes those emotions so visible in the countenance of Ariadne, who has been hitherto represented, on this occasion, as From this painting a plate was engraved by Giacimo Freij, which is generally a companion to the Aurora of the same master. The print is so common that the cu rious may easily satisfy themselves concerning the propriety of a remark which has intruded itself among the notes on Shakespeare. STEEVENS. For Theseus' perjury, and unjust flight; Sil. She is beholden to thee, gentle youth!— I weep myself, to think upon thy words. Here, youth, there is my purse; I give thee this [Exit SILVIA. Jul. And she shall thank you for't, if e'er you know her. A virtuous gentlewoman, mild,, and beautiful. I hope my master's suit will be but cold, Her eyes are grey as glass; and so are mine: If this fond love were not a blinded god? Come, shadow, come, and take this shadow up, Thou shalt be worshipp'd, kiss'd, lov'd, and ador'd; My substance should be statue in thy stead. I should have scratch'd out your unseeing eyes, [Exit. To make my master out of love with thee. [5] A high forehead was, in our author's time, accounted a feature eminently beautiful. So, in the History of Guy of Warwick, Felice his lady" I said to "have the same high forehead as Penus." JOHNSON. |